Read on below for information on recently completed projects, upcoming funded projects as well as potential future ones, and visit the City's Parks & Recreation Department Webpage for additional information.

Sincerely,

Commissioner John Elizabeth Alemán

johnaleman@miamibeachfl.gov

A Hidden Gem... One Ocean Park!

Did you know about this quaint little public park in the heart of South Beach? One Ocean Park affords a serene oasis that is below the radar screen for a quiet respite.

Recently Completed

Muss Park

Previously 2,000 square feet, the pavilion was constructed to attain LEED gold-certification and is now double its original size. Features include a kitchen, storage space, bathrooms and drinking fountains. Equipping park users with a practical activity space, rain or shine, the facility’s large four-fold doors allow the pavilion to operate as either an open-air or air-conditioned space.

The handicap-accessible picnic table area and playground further complement the space, providing people of all abilities an opportunity to enjoy the park. Circling the large playing field, the new concrete walkways, updated fencing, fresh swing sets, landscaping and irrigation upgrades add to the park’s functionality and aesthetic.

Additionally, the new handicap-accessible playgrounds are separated based on age level, serving as a dedicated space for children ages two through five and five to twelve.

Preserving the waterfront park for generations to come, the old seawall was replaced with a hybrid, living shoreline structure.

Muss Park at 4300 Chase Avenue received a major renovation and re-opened this January.

Allison Park

﻿The City mobilized their commitment to provide a better quality of life for special populations by constructing Sabrina’s Playground, the first fully ADA accessible playground at Allison Park, 6500 Collins Avenue.

Designed with residents and visitors with disabilities in mind, the pour-in-place safety surface features earth tones and incorporates a pattern that dictates walking paths from safety zones for improved safety and maneuverability.

Allison Park is also the home of Adaptive Beach Days, a seasonal beach program offered by the Sabrina Cohen Foundation with support from the City. The program provides disabled individuals, veterans, children with special needs and the elderly access to the beach using a platform of decks and mats over the sand, beach wheelchairs, and specialized staff/volunteers.

Adaptive Beach Days are every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month - come join in the fun for all!

Lummus Park

The popular 9th Street fitness area at Lummus Park, commonly referred to as Muscle Beach, just got a full makeover. Combining arts and fitness, the park now features a complete outdoor gym in two iconic installations: The Leopard Tree and MyBeast. These functional structures collectively feature over 30 workout components. The first of its kind to be featured in a public park in the United States, the installation of this high-end fitness equipment will redefine the workout experience, bring art and functionality to the beach, and be fully accessible to visitors and residents alike.

Other improvements at Lummus Park include 114 new dimmable LED lighting, which provide direct light to improve visibility while reducing the amount of light visible from the beach. The lighting retrofits serve as a long-term strategy for better protecting our native sea turtle population by substantially reducing light pollution in the areas with the highest disorientation incidents during the sea turtle season. As the city continues planning, designing and constructing projects along the beachfront, sea turtle friendly fixtures will replace existing lights on public property.

Lastly, Lummus Park is now home to the first Woosh station that delivers purified, cold water wtih no plastic bottle waste.

82nd Street Skate Park

Featuring quarter pipes, ramps, rails, grind ledges, and a flat bar, the traditional skate park provides skaters a place to showcase their skills.

Stationed directly across the street from North Beach Oceanside Park, the prime location provides skaters with direct public access to the beach.

﻿The City will have a ribbon cutting ceremony and open the skate park today Thursday, April 12th at 5:30 p.m.

Belle Isle Park

The new Belle Isle Park Playground opened this past February. The new play structure features a tot lot for children aged 2-5 and a playground for children aged 5-12, two spinning play components, shade structure and swing set. Other improvements include fencing, landscaping, trash receptacles and benches.

North Beach Oceanside Park

Formerly known as North Shore Open Space Park, North Beach Oceanside Park (Collins and 85th Street) received a donation this past December from the Miami Association of Realtors: new dog agility equipment which was installed at the North Beach Oceanside Park "Bark Park."

The park has agility equipment for both big and small pooches and has been embraced with open paws!

A Master Plan was approved for the park in 2017, and is on the possible projects list for funding by the General Obligation Bond (GO Bond) that will be put to the voters in November 2018:

Scope of Work

Circulation and Lighting

Expansion and enhancement of the pathway network

New pedestrian scale lighting

Design and construction of the final, northernmost, section of the City’s beachwalk system

Polo Park at 4301 North Michigan Avenue has been made into a Smoke Free park, and had renovations to its baseball diamond.

A new chilled water fountain is on the way, and discussions are underway to possibly add perimeter security fencing, pending agreement with the surrounding community stakeholders.

Funded/Coming Soon

Convention Center Park

As part of the Miami Beach Convention Center Renovation and Expansion Project, a new urban park is being created to replace the existing surface parking lot west of Convention Center Drive, between 18th Street and 19th Street. Inspired by prominent art shows staged in beautiful London parks, a revised park design includes 2 acres of open area, large enough to accommodate the annual Design Miami Show hosted during Art Basel week.

Other elements of the Park include a plant palette of shade trees, native trees, paths, walkways and shaded sitting areas, a plaza to honor the City’s Veterans, an area for a sculpture already commissioned through the City’s Art in Public Places program, and flexible spaces for future activation and programming.

Maurice Gibb Park

Maurice Gibb Park will soon be going under a full renovation! The design concept (seen right) are currently being reviewed to ensure that the scope of work can be executed as quickly as possible within the funds allocated to eh project.

The renovation includes soil remediation, a playground, two pavilions, Vita course, walkways, open sodded areas, a dog park, new landscaping and park furnishings. Alternates being considered include restrooms, seawall renovations, living shoreline, and overlook, fishing and viewing piers as well as a Marine Police/Fire Patrol facility and transient marina and facilities.

Within the next four weeks these options will be presented to the community for their approval and selection of the project scope. At that time the project schedule will be adjusted before returning to the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee for review and approval of alternates prior to going through the Design Review Board process.

Altos Del Mar Park

The city held an official ground-breaking ceremony today for the Altos del Mar Park project, which to be completed over the next six months!

The park at 7601 Atlantic Way will add over 25,000 square feet of canopy and include terraced seating, a defined entry plaza, restroom facility and open lawn areas.

Additional installations include a new playground, sand volleyball courts, pedestrian beach access, new restrooms, and a turtle-friendly lighting system.

Throughout construction, the city will preserve existing trees and develop the landscape further with the planting of Florida Native species.

The space is the last remaining undeveloped oceanfront land parcel in Miami Beach. The project is expected to be complete by November 2018.

20th Street Pocket Park

The 20th Pocked Park project is in its early planning stages. Earlier last month, the City requested that the consultant for the project provide two or three concepts for the area. One of the concepts being prepared includes a unique art installation which could also serve as an interactive playground for children. Stay tuned for more information!

Future

Biscayne Elementary & Parkview Island

The City is working on a partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Schools to create additional park and soccer field space which can be utilized by the school during school hours and by city residents during the evenings and weekends.

Additionally the shared path project adjacent to Biscayne Elementary is part of a larger project, sponsored by the City’s Transportation Department. The project includes the replacement of the existing path adjacent to Biscayne Elementary, with updated lighting, and a buffered bike lane eastward along 75th street, from the school to Dickens Avenue, where it will connect to the existing buffered bike lane. It will also include sharrows from Dickens Avenue westward along 73rd street, into Parkview Island, and north along Wayne Avenue to the pedestrian bridge at the southwest corner of the school.

PAR 3 - Mid-Beach Community Park (FKA)

The Mid-Beach Community Park, better known as the Park 3, has been a hot topic of discussion over the past few years. Some progress has been made with an approval for 30% of the park design approved by the Design Review Board in September 2017.

With much community input, your City Commission adopted a resolution to proceed with the current design this past March, with the approval of 60% of the park design.

The park's full design is anticipated to be complete this coming November at which time funding and construction considerations can be finalized.

The video shows a potential rendering of the passive park complete with water features and large open spaces for passive residential activities.

72nd Street Park... (maybe!)

The City has been engaged with Desman Design Management in the feasibility study for this site, and has recently given direction to the consultant to include a community competition aquatics facility within the project.

In its very early concepting stage, the proposed amenities could include parking, library/media center, all-wheels park, passive park area, and roof-top community pool measuring 50m x 25m, roof-top community meeting room and an adult focused, upscale fitness gym with running track.

The feasibility study is scheduled to be completed this summer, and will be sent to Commission for direction, and resident / community input.

Moving Miami Beach Forward Together!

Whether you are a Miami Beach resident or a business owner in our community, my office is here to help! Our door is always open, so feel free to stop by or e-mail me at johnaleman@miamibeachfl.gov.

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